Pains of the Past
by Aerilon452
Summary: Belle is standing out on the balcony where Rumpelstiltskin watches her seeing that she is cradling her left wrist. He asks her about it. Then they stray to the topic of the dark curse and why he couldn't bring it about. COMPLETE ONE SHOT


Summary: Rumpelstiltskin see's Belle is hurt and wants to know why.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Once Upon A Time.

Rating: K+

Pairing: Rumpelstiltskin and Belle

**PAINS OF THE PAST:**

Belle stood in the light of dawn staring out at the town of Storybrooke seeing a world she knew nothing about, seeing people she barely knew, all except for Rumpelstiltskin. He had brought her home with him, brought her into the safety of his arms after he had brought magic to this land. She feared he would use it for revenge even though she begged him not to. That was his way. He protected her no matter what. Belle didn't want anyone to suffer because of her, let alone the Evil Queen. In one fell swoop she had mended his heart and broken it all at once. Rumpelstiltskin loved her, but mourned the fact she had been abducted because of him. The way he saw it, he had caused her so much trouble, so much pain. But that wasn't how Belle saw it. She loved him, loved the way he looked at her, the way he teased her, and the way he made her heart swell with so much love that she thought it would burst. He belonged to her just as she to him.

Moving her wrist the wrong way, Belle hissed at the stabbing pain that raced up her arm. That was another reason why she was out here; hiding. Belle had ventured into the sleepy town to find someone to help her with her wrist. It was an old injury from their world. At the hospital she had stood in front of the doors for fifteen minutes dreading going back in there until one of the nurses came out offering to guide her inside. The nurse looked at her wrist, and then informed her she would have to wear a wrist brace when the pain flared up. The black brace secured to her wrist kept her thumb from moving too much and offered some measure of support. Belle didn't want Rumpelstiltskin to see her like this, the injury; he would demand to know what happened. A chill in the air kicked up forcing Belle to rub her hands up and down her arms. She knew she had worn more than a pair of shorts and a tank top that she had slept in.

Rumpelstiltskin stood just inside the open balcony doors watching Belle as she watched the still slumbering town. He had seen the black brace marring her left wrist and couldn't help the sudden surge of anger that raced through him. An injury like that could have only come from her time in Regina's dungeon. One more thing he would have exacted on the Queen when he could. Belle had begged him not to seek his retribution, but she didn't know the depth of his furry towards Regina. That woman had taken the only person he had come to truly love and that was an offence not easily forgiven. No, the Queen's time would come and he would be true to his word of having no direct involvement. But that didn't mean he couldn't maneuver the right people into the right place to take care of the problem. The wind kicked up bringing with it a chill causing his Belle to shiver. It was time for him to come out of the shadows, to alert her to his presence. Striding to her, the best he could, Rumpelstiltskin held a blanket in his hands. He put it over her shoulders, startling her, but she eased when she knew it was him. "I saw you shivering." He whispered wrapping the blanket around her and holding it in place with his arms about her waist.

Belle smiled leaning her temple against his chin. "Thank you." She brought her right blanket covered hand up and covered his where they rested against her abdomen. "It all of a sudden got cold up here." Belle mumbled feeling the warmth of the blanket, and of Rumpelstiltskin, seep into her body. He had the ability to chase away any chill that could ever touch her whether it was in her heart or in her body. Under the blanket Belle tried to slip off the blank brace before he could have a chance to see it.

"Do you want to tell me why you have a brace on your left wrist?" Rumpelstiltskin questioned Belle slightly tightening his arms around her to keep her against him. "I will not do anything, I jut want to know." He assured her. That was the one fear she had when she confided in him. "Please, tell me. I don't want to see you in pain."

"It happened a while ago." Belle evaded answering him. "If I tell you, promise me that you only listen." She needed to have his word. Then she added, "If I don't have your word, I'm not telling you." Belle turned her head away looking at the clock tower waiting for his answer.

Rumpelstiltskin sighed, "You have my word, my love." Tenderly he kissed the top of her head. Having her angry with him, hiding things from him, that alone would break his heart. He couldn't risk making a move that would drive her away from him. "I'll only listen." Rumpelstiltskin consented. His mind played out so many worst case scenario's in the span of a few seconds while Belle still remained silent.

Belle eased out of his arms, turning to face him as she leaned against the railing. "I was still in the Queen's castle when my wrist was damaged. One of the guards left my cell door open and I waited for them to realize, to come and close it, but the never did." Belle pulled aside the blanket showing him the brace. "I was nearly free, I could see day light. There was jut one more door to get through. I was just through the door when it closed on my wrist." Belle fought back the urge to cradle her hand at the sudden surge of the memory. "I screamed so loud but then she stalked around the corner looking so smug that I choked down the rest of my cries in spite of her." She could picture the smug, arrogant, smirk the Queen wore. Belle straightened forcing the pain away. She knew Rumpelstiltskin wouldn't want her to give into the pain, to submit to the Queen. "She healed my arm, but not all the way." Belle looked away from him feeling the tears filling her eyes. She didn't want him to see her cry.

Rumpelstiltskin gently cupped Belle's face in his hands, using his thumbs to wipe away her tears that had slipped free to slide down her cheeks. "Don't cry…" He leaned in, kissed her forehead. "I'm never going to let harm come to you again." Belle looked up at him as he slid his hands from her face to her left wrist. Without taking his eyes from hers, Rumpelstiltskin removed the brace and brought her hand up to his lips to kiss the inside of her wrist. Belle started to shake as he began to piece together the needed elements of his revenge on Regina. He would be true to his word. He would have no direct involvement.

Belle knew him; she knew he was plotting something involving the untimely demise of the Queen. "Honor your word." Her voice shook. His eyes instantly locked on to hers.

"What?" Rumpelstiltskin knew what she meant.

"Don't go after her; don't give into your anger." Belle pleaded. "I know your anger is what drove you to create the dark curse." He had told her about the curse that had brought them to this land, to a land without magic and he hadn't blamed him.

"Belle," Rumpelstiltskin stepped back and turned his back on her so she couldn't see the look of panic in his eyes. He couldn't explain why he was panicking. After all he had told her about the curse of his own free will. "I crafted the curse so that I could never enact it."

Belle took a step towards him, opened the blanket, and wrapped it around him molding the front of her body to his back. She wanted him to know the warmth that he had given her. "How could you not enact it?" She asked kissing his shoulder. On one hand she wanted to know and on the other she had a sick feeling as to what he was about to tell her.

As she had done to him, Rumpelstiltskin turned in Belle's arms, "I crafted the dark curse so that it would only work with the heart of what was loved the most." His voice wavered on each word. "I could never take your heart." Tears fell freely from his eyes. "I could never take the heart of my son." Rumpelstiltskin was unashamed as he silently cried in front of Belle. "I knew I could never bring about this curse." He admitted.

"But you knew Regina could, even then you knew." Belle said. She truly wasn't angry at him for making the curse. It brought her back to him to where she belonged.

"Yes," He confirmed. "I knew she could and would bring about the curse by using he heart of who she loved, the only person she loved in this world." Resting his forehead to hers once more, Rumpelstiltskin added, "Regina did what I couldn't."

"No, you're not evil like her." Belle stated, certainty ringing in every word. She believed he had a good heart and a kind soul. "You're not a killer." She knew the heart of the man she loved. He was motivated by power, driven by a need to protect her, but for him to ever end a life, Belle knew that was an act beyond him.

"Belle…" Tears streamed down his face silently. He was unashamed to cry in front of her. How could he tell her that he had killed, that it was because he killed a man that he became the Dark One? That secret would be one that he would take to his grave. Belle would never have to know that his hands were stained with blood. He knew he wouldn't be able to bear the sight of horror in her eyes if she ever learned of it. Instead he hugged her, held her so close to chase away the demons of his long ago past.


End file.
